Destiny Free
by FallenMagic
Summary: Third and last part to the Trilogy. Michael's back but why is he ignoring Maria?


Disclaimer: This belongs to the people who created the characters and not me. 

Summary: They're back, but why is Michael ignoring Maria?

Note: This is the third and last part of a Trilogy. Thanks to Marie and englishchik for your feedback! 

**Destiny Free**

  
The first thing I noticed were his eyes. Five years part had changed him a lot. All of them had changed. They held themselves more proudly, more regally. There was a hardness in their faces like they had grown up too fast, but yet there was still vulnerability ion their features. The boyish look on Max's face was replaced by a wisdom that was beyond his years. Isabel no longer held that scared look, but showed confidence that was not a display. Even Tess looked different than what I remembered her to be like. She no longer looked like a whiny, spoiled brat but like someone who had seen life much too closely and knew what was real. But it was Michael that made me shot short.

Gone was the cold, stone-faced demeanour. In its place was a warrior. He didn't look like a person who was lost but as if he knew where his place was. But I didn't miss the hint of broken look in his eyes, the hint of sadness that lingered there. _What happened to change them so much?_ I wondered. I didn't think that they had come back unscarred, not if I was reading Michael well. And I was a damn sure I was.

I saw Liz fly into Max's arms and noticed that Tess just smiled approvingly. That surprised me a bit. But I turned back to Michael was standing there gazing at me intently. I clutched the ring around my neck as I heard his words ringing through my head.

"I'll be back for this." He had promised. Did he want it back? Did he fall out of love with me in these years apart? There was nothing in his expression, which could tell me what he was thinking. For the first time in years I couldn't read him and that scared me.

"Hey." I managed to say.

"Hey girlfriend." Max greeted, still wrapped around Liz's. I flashed him a smile.

"Hey Maria." Isabel said softly. "How are you?"

"I'm okay." I told her. Then I shook my head, smiling ruefully. "Actually, I'm not. This is too much of a shock…"

Tess then surprised me by moving forward to hug me. "I'm sorry." She whispered as she hugged me.

She pulled back and I nodded, having forgiven her long ago. "Where are the others?" she asked almost hesitantly.

"You mean Alex?" I asked, still staring at Michael, he had not said anything but was just staring at me. It was unnerving.

Tess ducked her head. "And Kyle…"

Liz and I had to smile at that. "He's at home. They both are."

"Thanks Liz." Isabel said breathlessly, as she and Tess hurried back out.

Michael watched them leave. I just stood there waiting for him to say something, anything would have done. Instead, he just gave me a long look and walked out the café.

******** 

I sat in bed feeling as if I couldn't breathe. I felt as if someone had trampled upon my heart. _Why didn't he say anything? _I wondered for the millionth time. Did he change his mind? Does he love Isabel now? Or maybe a green alien chick he met on Antar? He hadn't said a word and even his look I couldn't interpret.

Had time changed us so much? But Liz and Max had been able to resume their normal life. And from the look of joy on Alex and Kyle's faces today I knew they had too. So, what happened to Michael Guerin? What had changed?

I felt confused. I had no idea how to take this. I wondered if this was his way of telling me that he won't be coming to claim his ring or give me back mine. That hurt too much to even think about. I glanced at my digital clock next to my bedside. 2:23 AM

I groaned slightly as I rolled over and faced away from the window. It was raining hard outside and I didn't need to be reminded of a certain stormy night that seemed so long ago. I tried to fall asleep but couldn't. I glanced around my room. My old room, not the one that I had lived in with Michael. It didn't seem to make any sense to me of living there all alone so I sold it. Not knowing when Michael, if ever, was coming back.

It didn't matter anymore. It didn't seem as if Michael was coming back to me anyway. The thought made my heart constrict with pain and it was all I could do to stop from crying. I refused to cry. I had always known that when Michael got back he might have changed, might not love me anymore for whatever reason but it didn't stop the fact that it hurt. It hurt a lot.

It was then that I heard a slight rapping. At first, I ignored it, thinking it was the wind or my mind was playing tricks on me, but soon I heard it again, this time louder and insistent. I got up and found myself facing what I had least expected. There stood Michael, his clothes, and hair dripping with water as he stood shivering in the rain. A sob caught in my throat as I remembered something very similar. Something that had led me to him.

He looked lost, so much like the boy I had once known. His eyes had a haunted look as he stood outside my window, silently waiting to see what I would do. But I didn't say anything, I just opened my window and moved aside and let him enter. He slipped in quickly and looked around, still saying nothing. I watched him for a while as he stood looking about unsurely. I wanted to ask him why he had come to me now. I wanted to know what had happened. I wanted to know so much but I kept quiet as I saw the look in his eyes. It shocked me to see the despair there.

I just held out my arms and held him close to me as his body racked with dry sobs. It shook me for Michael had rarely, if ever, cried. I shushed him and smoothed his hair as he finally calmed down. I wanted to know what that was all about, instead I just held him close, comforting him with my silence. I held him close to me as he slept next to me. Occasionally he would cry out in his sleep and I would whisper soothingly in his ear until he would fall back into a peaceful sleep.

I fell asleep at around four in the morning and when I woke up Michael had already left. I touched his side of the bed, still warm from his body. I smiled to myself, taking that as a good sign. Then I rolled over to his side of the bed and drifted off to sleep.

********* 

I sat gazing at the setting sun when I felt him behind me. I didn't turn around. He came and sat down next to me, staring at the water ahead. We sat there in companionable silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke. It was then I realised that this was the first time I was hearing his voice since he had come home.

"I didn't expect it to be so bad." He finally said.

"Didn't expect to be so bad?" I asked.

He turned to look at me, with pain smouldering in his eyes. "The war. The destruction. I don't know how I got through it."

My heart went out to him. He had suffered so much. I just wanted to wipe it all away but I knew that was impossible. It would take time and I would be there for him.

"There was so much bloodshed there. I don't know what I expected to see there. Maybe my family, or a welcome, instead we were greeted by the sounds of war. There was a time when we thought we wouldn't make it."

His voice held such pain that I had to keep from crying out. Suddenly Michael turned to look at me. "Actually I do know how I got through." He admitted.

"How?" I asked him.

Instead of answering, he pulled out my ring from his pocket and held it out. "Because of this; because I had a part of you with me. I had reason to live."

Tears sprang to my eyes when I heard him say that. He hadn't forgotten me. He still loved me. Then why didn't he give me back my ring?

Almost as if reading my mind Michael told me, "I was afraid to give it to you because I didn't know if you would take me back. I had planned to stay away for a while longer but that night I had to see you and I came to your bedroom. I guess that night just erased all my doubts…"

"How could you think I wouldn't want you back, Michael? I am your wife! I love you!" I exclaimed.

"Then would you do me the honour of taking this ring back?" he asked shyly.

I nodded happily as he gingerly placed the ring back on my finger. I beamed as I did the same with his. I sighed contently as we sat watching the sunset. I was happy he was back. And I knew that this time for good. After all, now he was destiny free.

THE END


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